Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #6) by J.R. Ward

Lover Enshrined (J.R. Ward)

SUMMARY

Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love....

MY REVIEW

Phury and Cormia

I really really like Phury. When I was reading his book I just wanted to cuddle him and squeeze him and tell him not to be sad and everything will be all right. He has woken up my maternal instinct this boy.

In this book, Phury is lost somewhere in the cuckoo land living as a cloud cuckoo lander instead of being a fierce warrior and fearsome brother. And he talks to a wizard with a dark voice in his head.
Endless discussions, arguments, advices between Phury and his wizard who thought that he had left, but he was always there.

Yes Phury takes drugs nonstop and more accurately he prefers his red smoke that smells like coffee and chocolate. His chosen mate, Cormia, is somewhere in the next room and although they need to start producing babies, he does not feel like it. He would prefer Bella of course, but she chose his twin brother. Zsadist has ugly scars on his face and slave bands on his hands and Phury is definitely more handsome than him and with cooler hair. But still Bella likes better him than Phury.

Because of Zsadist, his right leg has no foot or calf. And it really wouldn’t bother him (it was his choice after all to go and save his brother), but he just wants an acknowledgment of his sacrifice. Maybe a simple ‘thank you’ would be enough. Instead he was accused that he has a “Good Samaritan complex”. So, it is better to talk to his wizard and then smoke some more.

Well, if Phury wanted respect he was looking at the wrong girl:

"The thing about Phury is, he’ll always put others before himself. Always. It’s his nature."
"I know. That’s why I admire him so. Where I am from . . ." Cormia struggled to find the words. "To the Chosen, selflessness is the greatest of all values. We serve the race and the Scribe Virgin, and in doing so we joyfully put the whole before ourselves. It is the highest order of virtue to sacrifice yourself to the greater good, to that which is of more importance than the self. The Primale does that. I believe that is . . ."
"Is . . . ?"
"That is why I respect him so."

Cormia is bored. Her job is to be Primate’s baby making vessel. Instead she is forgotten in her room and Phury does not care about her existence. What can a girl do to pass the time? Complex structures made of toothpicks . . . and peas. Why not?
No Cormia does not take drugs. But maybe it is a good idea to go for a swim at the pool, or watch ‘Dirty Dancing’ with John because she will definitely snap.

And my favorite scene is when Phury becomes Neanderthal:

Cormia was rising from the pool, her resplendent female form dripping with water . . while three newly transitioned males stood about ten feet from her with their tongues hanging down to their navels.
Oh . . . hell . . . no.
The bonded male in him came out like a beast, breaking free of the lies he’d fed himself about how he felt, roaring out of the cave of his heart, stripping him of everything that was civilized.
All he knew was that his female was standing naked and being coveted by others.
That was all that mattered.
Before he was aware of what he was doing, Phury let out a growl that broke through the air like a crack of thunder. John Matthew’s and his buddies’ eyes shot his way, and then the three of them moved back as one. Big-time. Like the pool had caught fire.
Cormia, on the other hand, didn’t look in his direction. She didn’t scramble to cover up, either.
Instead, she deliberately picked up her robe and slid it slowly onto her shoulders, all latent defiance.
Which powered him up like nothing else. "Come into the house," he demanded of her. "Now."
As she glanced at him, her voice was as level as her eyes. "And if I choose not to?"
"I will put you over my shoulder and carry you inside."

Bye bye wizard! Finally…